Tucked away on a quiet street in Beavercreek, the Advanced Technical Intelligence Center for Human Capital Development has quietly become a valuable piece of the workforce development puzzle in the Dayton region.

Also known as ATIC, the organization became self-sustaining last year as it hit its five-year anniversary. At the same time, annual enrollment has grow to 325 students, up from 32 students in 2008.

ATIC provides highly classified intelligence training in areas such as cyber security, counterterrorism and understanding how to read intelligence documents from the field. Its graduates have gone on to work for places like the NSA, FBI, Air Force, NASIC, U.S. Army, Ball Aerospace, General Dynamics Corp., Ohio Air National Guard and Northrop Grumman Corp.

The growth at ATIC has been fueled by a huge demand in the intelligence community, as well as collaborations with government, industry and academia, said Hugh Bolton, president and CEO of ATIC. Bolton, a 30-year veteran of the intelligence field, came to ATIC in 2008, about the same time the organization moved into its new facility on Hibiscus Way.

When ATIC launched in 2006, it partnered with government customers to bring in students, essentially hiring them as interns, while the government sponsored them for security clearances at a level needed to complete their course instruction. Since then, ATIC has grown to provide advanced education and continuing education for current government and industry employees as well as re-training for entry into intel and cyber communities. It now offers short courses; an analyst boot camp; tailored programs for government customers such as Ohio Air National Guard; and certificate and degree programs in conjunction with academic partners.

For example, the University of Dayton offers MBA degree with a cyber security concentration and some of the classified cyber courses are taught at ATIC. Graduates, then, not only receive their MBA, but also get a certificate they’ve been through classified training at ATIC.

ATIC has 15 employees who work from secure classrooms and an auditorium in a 40,000-square-foot facility.

“It’s the only model of its kind in the United States,” said Dennis DeMolet, president of Kettering-based DeMolet Consulting. “The fact that ATIC, as a nonprofit, was able to survive the current economy and become self sufficient is a testament to its credibility.”

The collaborative model has put ATIC on the map, Bolton said, because it allows the organization to quickly, and cost effectively, respond to industry needs while avoiding duplication of other programs.

“We’re able to do things that individual companies or educational institutes would have a hard time doing,” Bolton said.

Continuing revenue growth at ATIC is critical because the nonprofit agreed it would be self-sustaining — meaning no more earmarks or grants — after five years of operation

As news of ATIC’s capabilities and success has been getting out, Bolton expects enrollment to continue trending upward. He’s also looking to essentially franchise the concept in other states in a way that keeps expertise in Dayton and bring dollars back here. This includes using a virtual approach — partnering with government, industry and academia — to teach classes at other sites.

Last fall in Virginia, ATIC offered its first analyst boot camp outside of Dayton. Bolton said it was a resounding success.

On the horizon

In addition to growing enrollment in current classes and franchising its concept, ATIC has other plans on tap to boost revenue.

ATIC is in the early stages of helping to launch an analyst “test bed” as part of Wright State Research Institute’s Human Performance Consortium. Currently, a company that develops software and other tools for intelligence work has limited access to testing in a real environment. By hosting the test bed, ATIC becomes a proving ground that offers real analysts in a live environment while students benefit from the experience.

Also, ATIC is in the process of launching a Center for Law Enforcement Analysis, which would support intelligence for law enforcement, and offer potential for bringing in additional students, Bolton said.

Keeping costs in line has been critical for making the organization self sufficient.

Tuition costs vary widely, depending on the course, officials said.

By changing the makeup and number of staff, renegotiating support services and paying off part of its facility, Bolton and his staff has ATIC operating at about a third of the fixed-costs it was incurring three years ago. ATIC costs roughly $2.5 million per year to operate.

“We’ve just been aggressive about managing our costs,” Bolton said.

And if ATIC is able to generate significantly more revenue than it needs, Bolton hopes to fund other activities in the region, such as STEM activities.

“We’re part of feeding the workforce pipeline, but we’re just one resource in the community, along with Calamityville, Wright State Research Institute, other schools and community colleges,” he said. “I don’t think there’s another region of the country that can match what this region has put together in a very conscious way.”

E-mail jcogliano@bizjournals.com. Call (937) 528-4424

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